…
…
Just as Huo Zhengyuan expected.
Three consecutive days of hard work and two consecutive nights of no rest left Xu Shengying and Xi Cheng exhausted both physically and mentally.
When Huo Zhengyuan stepped into the side hall of Zhanyuan, he saw Xi Cheng yawning continuously, while Xu Shengying drank a lot of strong tea to refresh herself. Both of them had extremely obvious dark circles on their faces.
At the same time, Zhu Hejian's eunuch Jia Lun accompanied him respectfully.
Obviously, Zhu Hejian left Jia Lun in Zhanyuan nominally to entertain and serve Huo Zhengyuan, Xu Shengying, and Xi Cheng, but his real intention must be to monitor the progress of the tripartite joint trial.
The most important thing is that during the tripartite joint trial, Jia Lun could also intimidate the "Chaofeng" dead soldiers who were captured alive on behalf of Zhu Hejian.
Jia Lun is the most trusted confidant around Zhu Hejian, so when Zhu Hejian secretly raised the dead soldiers, this Jia Lun must have played a key role, and maybe he was one of Zhu Hejian's contacts with the dead soldiers organization.
Under such circumstances, those "Chaofeng" dead soldiers who were arrested must know Jia Lun's identity and origin, and they also know very well that Jia Lun represents Zhu Hejian's personal visit.
If Jia Lun is allowed to stay at the interrogation scene and watch, those arrested "Chaofeng" dead soldiers will definitely be intimidated by Jia Lun's existence, and then they will be cowardly, full of scruples, and will not dare to confess the truth at all. .
After thinking about this, Huo Zhengyuan immediately frowned and wanted to find a reason to send Jia Lun away.
But before Huo Zhengyuan could speak, he heard Xicheng's complaint.
"Master Huo, you are really late! We and Xu Shoubei have been waiting for you for nearly half an hour! You must have had enough sleep last night, but in order to stabilize the situation in Nanjing, our family and Xu Shoubei , I have been exhausted for several days in a row, and there is no chance to rest... Under such circumstances, you have the nerve to let the two of us wait for you!"
Huo Zhengyuan smiled and retorted: "Since both Xi Zhenshou and Xu Shoubei are exhausted, and I am relaxed, then let the idle man work more and the laboring man rest more, and leave the interrogation to me. How about that?" ? You two can also seize the opportunity to take a rest."
Xicheng's expression froze, and he snorted coldly: "Since we have agreed that it will be a three-party joint trial, how can our family stay away for a while? What we mean is that Academician Huo should come to the garden a little early to discuss with our family. Together with Xu Shoubei, we should discuss all the details of the tripartite joint trial. We should not show up at the last moment before the trial, leaving the three of us with no time to even discuss consensus...
When Academician Huo was in the center of the capital, he had always been of noble status and had served in the Hanlin Academy for a long time. Unlike our family and Xu Shoubei, who had heavy responsibilities and heavy powers and responsibilities, it seemed that he was really used to being leisurely and at ease. I have no idea about the various actual processes! In this case, our family cannot leave all the interrogation matters to you! "
Xi Cheng's series of statements had two main intentions. The first was to use Huo Zhengyuan's late arrival to try to arouse Xu Shengying's common hatred and to try to win over Xu Shengying and isolate Huo Zhengyuan. The second was to show Huo Zhengyuan's experience in doing things. If he is not rich enough, he is just a noble Hanlin. He wants to use this excuse to reduce Huo Zhengyuan's right to speak during the interrogation.
Huo Zhengyuan still refused to give in, and still smiled calmly, and counterattacked again: "Oh? So the three of us still have a chance to reach some consensus? Then... Xi Zhenshou and Xu Shoubei both arrived early, saying that they had already After waiting for me here for nearly half an hour, did the two of you reach any consensus during this time?"
After hearing this, Xicheng's expression couldn't help but froze again.
As Xu Shengying changed her stance and wanted to fully investigate the masterminds behind the captured gangsters, unlike Xi Cheng who wanted to hide the truth, it was naturally impossible for the two to reach any consensus.
Seeing that Xi Cheng was unable to answer, Huo Zhengyuan spread his hands and said with a smile: "After I was promoted to a bachelor, I have a noble status and do not have clear rights and responsibilities like Xu Shoubei and Xi Zhengshou, but I still have some foresight. I have already guessed the three of us. It was impossible to have any consensus during the interrogation, and the reason why I came late was because I considered the physical and mental fatigue of Xu Shoubei and Xi Zhengshou. I thought that there was no need for us to waste time on useless work, and it would be better to leave more time for the two of them to rest. …I originally thought that Xi Zhenshou would be able to understand such a simple truth, but I didn’t expect that Xi Zhenshou still misunderstood my good intentions!”
Huo Zhengyuan's implication is that although he has a noble status and lacks relevant experience, his intellectual level is going to crush you Xi Cheng. Therefore, his right to speak during the tripartite joint trial should not be reduced, but should be greater than yours. Xi Cheng is even bigger!
Xi Cheng understood Huo Zhengyuan's hint and immediately became furious and glared at Huo Zhengyuan.
But Huo Zhengyuan ignored Xi Cheng's angry reaction and just strolled not far in front of Xi Cheng and Xu Shengying.
This side hall has been rearranged by Zhu Hejian, and it initially looks like a courtroom. Not only has all the furniture been vacated, but a large official case has also been placed at the top of the end of the side hall, with pen and ink on it. Paper inkstones, gavel wood, ink sticks and other items and other trial equipment are all available. Under the public case, a layer of bluestone is temporarily laid, allowing Huo Zhengyuan, Xu Shengying and Xi Cheng to sit behind the public case and interrogate the prisoner from a high position. .
At this time, Xu Shengying and Xi Cheng had already sat side by side behind the koan in advance.
Among them, Xi Cheng sits on the left and Xu Shengying sits on the right.
In ancient times, the left was respected, and Xu Shengying was placed on the right because as a garrison in Nanjing, he would be nominally under the control of the eunuchs who guarded Nanjing.
Huo Zhengyuan walked up to the public case and immediately raised a key question: "Xu Shoubei, Xi Zhenshou... who among the three of us will sit in the middle?"
From ancient times to the present, seating arrangement has always been an extremely sensitive matter.
Specifically, in this tripartite joint trial, the person sitting in the middle is equivalent to the chief judge and has a greater say in the case, while the people sitting on both sides are equivalent to the jury, and the person sitting in the middle is equivalent to the jury, and the right to say will be weakened invisibly.
Xi Cheng naturally wanted to compete for the position of chief judge at this time, but before Xi Cheng could express his position, Xu Shengying, who had been silent, had already taken the initiative to move her position to the right, freeing up the middle position, and said slowly: "Since We have not received your majesty's imperial edict. People from the inner court like Xi Zhenshou are not suitable to sit in the middle. As a military commander, I am also not suitable to sit in the middle. Therefore, this position is still held by Academician Huo. It would be more appropriate for civil servants from other dynasties to sit here!"
Xi Cheng's expression changed slightly. He didn't expect Xu Shengying to give up the position of chief judge to Huo Zhengyuan so easily.
In fact, this is a matter of course. Although Xu Shengying and Huo Zhengyuan are not the same person, at least during this tripartite joint trial, their interests and goals are more similar, and Xu Shengying knows that she is not only a military attache, but also nominally subject to Xicheng's control meant that he had no chance to compete for the position of chief judge, so he directly gave this position to Huo Zhengyuan.
Huo Zhengyuan, on the other hand, did his part and without waiting for Xi Cheng to express his objection, he walked directly to the middle position behind the gongan and sat down, and used his body to push Xi Cheng to an even more peripheral position.
Xicheng is an old eunuch, and although Huo Zhengyuan is just a scholar, he is still in his prime. Therefore, even if Xi Cheng is unwilling, he is helpless in the face of Huo Zhengyuan's forcible fight under Xu Shengying's intentional favoritism.
At the same time, Jiang Zheng silently walked to the side and stood with many of Xu Shengying and Xi Cheng's subordinates.
Finally, after being squeezed to a position further to the left, Xi Cheng snorted: "For this interrogation, let's have Academician Huo sit in the middle for the time being! But there can't be only one interrogation, and the next one must be changed. Location."
Xu Shengying was still expressionless, Huo Zhengyuan was still smiling, and neither of them responded.
Seeing that Xi Cheng was suppressed repeatedly and was about to burst into anger, Jia Lun, who had been standing beside him, finally stepped forward and asked respectfully: "Are the three adults satisfied with the layout of this court? If there is no If you are dissatisfied, it is now Chenshi, and the three adults should interrogate the prisoner."
Huo Zhengyuan finally found a chance to talk to Jia Lun and asked: "The various arrangements in the court are quite appropriate, but I wonder...are all the torture instruments ready?"
Jia Lun raised his head and glanced at Xu Shengying, and said: "Originally, I was not prepared. After all, there were really no torture instruments in Zhan Yuan. But when Xu Shoubei arrived at Zhan Yuan, he brought all kinds of torture instruments that guarded the prison. .”
Huo Zhengyuan nodded with satisfaction and said: "In that case... I remember? He is the eunuch serving His Royal Highness the Seventh Prince, named Jia Lun, right? You can leave here now! After all, you are only the prince's permanent attendant, even in the inner court There is no position among them and they are not suitable for participating in official affairs."
This time, Xicheng finally found an opportunity and said first: "He can't leave!"
"Why?" Huo Zhengyuan asked with a frown.
Xicheng snorted coldly and said: "Jia Lun represents His Highness the Seventh Prince and is qualified to watch the three of us interrogate the prisoners!"
"Your Highness lets an eunuch represent you? Isn't it appropriate?"
"There is nothing inappropriate. Could it be that Academician Huo despises our inner court like this? What's more, Jia Lun is not only a representative of His Highness, but also not an ordinary eunuch. He has always been famous for his proficiency in criminal law in the inner court. If not He is loyal to His Highness the Seventh Prince and has never been willing to leave His Highness. He has already made a name for himself in Dongchang! So letting him stay here to watch the three of us interrogate the prisoners is not only His Highness's intention, but also our family's initiative. Suggestion! After all, neither Master Huo nor Xu Shoubei, nor our family, are good at Ming Dynasty criminal law, so we must find someone knowledgeable to provide us with advice!"
Hearing what Xicheng said, Huo Zhengyuan was slightly startled. He couldn't help but take a serious look at Jia Lun, and then turned to glance at Jiang Zheng, who was standing quietly to the side.
Huo Zhengyuan had no idea that Jia Lun was just an eunuch serving the Seventh Prince, and he was not very young, yet he was proficient in the criminal laws of the Ming Dynasty!
Obviously, just like Huo Zhengyuan, the Seventh Prince Zhu Hejian also expected it in advance and believed that Huo Zhengyuan, Xu Shengying, and Xi Cheng must be constraining and restraining each other during the joint trial due to their different positions and different goals. No one could convince them. No one can do anything. In this case, we can only strictly abide by the laws of the Ming Dynasty.
Therefore, Huo Zhengyuan brought Jiang Zheng to Zhanyuan, while Zhu Hejian left Jia Lun in Zhanyuan.
Zhu Hejian and Huo Zhengyuan have similar ideas, and Jia Lun and Jiang Zheng have exactly the same mission orientation, which is to take advantage of their proficiency in Ming law to continuously find relevant French texts that are beneficial to their side to provide support during the tripartite joint trial, or to It is to use relevant French words that are not conducive to the other party to refute, and then gradually take control of the situation.
At the same time, Zhu Hejian must have great trust in Jia Lun's ability, so he dared to leave Zhanyuan during the tripartite joint trial and go to the Confucius Temple to preside over a public debate between the Jin gentry forces and the Huangzhuang forces, even though he saw Jiang Zheng beside Huo Zhengyuan. He also recognized Jiang Zheng's identity and background, but did not show any obvious concern.
After thinking of this, Huo Zhengyuan became more and more afraid of Jia Lun, and said slowly: "A eunuch who is proficient in criminal law... reminds me of the Qin Dynasty when the second generation died! At that time, there was also a eunuch who was proficient in criminal law - the man who called a deer a horse. Zhao Gao!"
Comparing Jia Lun to Zhao Gao is undoubtedly an extremely serious accusation for the eunuchs of the inner court.
In fact, as an eunuch in the inner court, one of Jia Lun's idols was Zhao Gao.
According to the tacit understanding between Zhu Hejian and Jia Lun, when Zhu Hejian ascends the throne in the future, Jia Lun will be the head of the inner court and command all the major yamen in the inner court. Jalen takes control.
Zhu Hejian has always been diligent and self-disciplined, and Jialun is naturally the same type of person. In order to be more comfortable when he takes charge of the inner court in the future, he has been working hard secretly over the years. The criminal law of the Ming Dynasty is the focus of Jialun's study, although he has no chance to accept Yang Xun's position. Although Jia Lun's efforts in studying the Ming Dynasty's criminal law were definitely no less than those of Jiang Zheng.
In this regard, Jalen is undoubtedly an extremely inspirational figure.
At this time, after hearing Huo Zhengyuan's accusations, Jia Lun's attitude was still low-key and humble, but he also gave people a feeling of being neither humble nor arrogant, and he lowered his head and said: "To the great scholar Huo, the rule of our inner court is that all young people Young eunuchs are all subject to assessments, and smart ones are selected and sent to the inner library to study and learn literacy. If their learning results are good, they will be further taught the Four Books and Five Classics, court laws and other knowledge. Only in this way can outstanding eunuchs be selected and admitted. The Si Li Jian, Yu Ma Jian and other yamen assist His Majesty in handling court affairs!
Therefore, it is natural for a villain to understand a little bit of court laws. You cannot compare the villain to Zhao because of this, otherwise you will completely negate the rules of the inner study hall! The establishment of the inner study hall was based on the instruction of Chengzu. If Academician Huo is dissatisfied with this rule, he should not make things difficult for the villain, but should directly propose to His Majesty to revoke this ancestral instruction!
What's more, the villain is not the only knowledgeable eunuch in the inner court. If the villain understands some criminal laws, you will be compared to Zhao Gao. Then all the eunuchs in the twenty-four yamen of the inner court are well versed in books. Wen, which eunuchs of the previous dynasties should they be compared to? "
After hearing this, Huo Zhengyuan, who was always alert, was speechless.
Jia Lun directly brought out the existence of the eunuchs of the twenty-four yamen of the inner court, and also brought out the ancestral precepts of Zhu Di, the founder of Ming Dynasty. If Huo Zhengyuan continues to argue on this topic, he will undoubtedly become an enemy of the entire inner court, or even openly question it. Understand the wisdom and martial arts of Zhu Di, the founder of the Ming Dynasty.
Let alone Huo Zhengyuan, even Zhao Junchen needs to carefully consider the consequences under such circumstances.
So, after Huo Zhengyuan sneered, he finally stopped making things difficult for Jia Lun and acquiesced to Jia Lun's observation of the interrogation. He only glanced at Jiang Zheng, who was standing quietly on the side, again.
After this trial, although Huo Zhengyuan still didn't know how proficient Jialun was in the laws of the Ming Dynasty, he also understood that Jialun was by no means an easy person to deal with, regardless of his reaction speed, the city's scheming, and Or speaking skills and eloquence are the best choices.
Huo Zhengyuan had a vague feeling in his heart that during the following three-party joint trial, he, Xi Cheng, and Xu Shengying were constrained by each other, and they might not be able to become the protagonists. The key to victory or defeat was the confrontation between Jiang Zheng and Jia Lun.
Then, Huo Zhengyuan turned to Xu Shengying and asked, "In that case, it's getting late, let's start interrogating the prisoners!"
Seeing Huo Zhengyuan change the topic, Xi Cheng immediately sneered, thinking that Jia Lun was angry at him, while Xu Shengying looked helpless.
In fact, Xu Shengying had long thought that Jia Lun's existence would seriously hinder him from interrogating the prisoners and finding out the truth. Before Huo Zhengyuan arrived at Zhanyuan, he had also wanted to find a reason to send Jia Lun away, but Jia Lun also had a reason. After a well-founded rebuttal, Jia Lun was left to watch the trial.
Therefore, Xu Shengying did not show disdain because Huo Zhengyuan changed the subject. Instead, she nodded very cooperatively and said: "Indeed, it's time to get down to business!"
Afterwards, Xu Shengying picked up an official document and took a look at it. Then he took out a red stick from the public case and threw it down. He shouted an order: "Come here and interrogate the gangster Zhang Sisan!"
Huo Zhengyuan had previously captured eleven "Chaofeng" dead soldiers alive, but due to Zhu Hejian's public intimidation, eight "Chaofeng" dead soldiers soon chose to commit suicide. Fortunately, the Nanjing garrison guarding the prisoners discovered it in time, but in the end Only three of them were saved, but five still committed suicide.
As a result, only six of the "Chaofeng" dead soldiers who were arrested were left alive.
The "Zhang Sisan" who was first brought to trial by Xu Shengying was one of the six remaining "Chaofeng" dead soldiers, and one of the three "Chaofeng" dead soldiers who failed to commit suicide.
Following Xu Shengying's order, a Nanjing garrison and a Jin Yiwei turned around and ran out of the side hall at the same time, and soon escorted an embarrassed young man into the Zhanyuan side hall.
After Huo Zhengyuan saw the prisoner, he bypassed all the procedures and went straight to the topic, asking a question that made everyone look at him.
…
…
